MP Ateeq Ahmad produced in CBI court

Lucknow, July 5 (IANS) Expelled Samajwadi Party Lok Sabha MP Ateeq Ahmad, who has over 150 criminal cases lodged against him, was produced before a court here Saturday for his alleged involvement in abducting bidders for a steel plant. Ahmed, who represents Allahabad’s Phoolpur constituency, was on the run since the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) came to power in Uttar Pradesh. He was arrested by the Delhi Police in February. The Samajwadi Party expelled Ahmed earlier this year.

Over 150 criminal cases are lodged against him, including the murder of BSP legislator Raju Pal.

Ahmad was produced before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court Saturday in connection with a criminal case lodged in 2006 that the Allahabad High Court had ordered the agency to probe.

“The Debt Recovery Tribunal ordered the auction of M/s Rajendra Steel, having units in Kanpur and Raipur. The auction was to be held in Allahabad and Ahmad is accused of planning and abducting the bidders, besides threatening them,” an official said.

The court fixed July 21 as the next date of hearing, the official add.

According to official records, Ahmad was facing trial in 35 criminal cases in different courts at the time of his arrest.

The CBI has also lodged three cases against him in Allahabad - first in 2002 under various sections of Indian Penal Code and the Gangster Act and two other cases in 2003 under the Arms Act.

Raju Pal, a legislator from the Allahabad West constituency, was gunned down by about half a dozen armed men in the outskirts of the city in January 2005. Two other people accompanying Pal were killed in the attack and three others were injured.

The case was referred to the CBI by Chief Minister Mayawati, but the agency initally turned it down.

On Friday night, Ahmad was brought to the Lucknow district jail from Mainpuri jail, about 250 km from here.